Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you when you purchase through our links. All opinions are our own.
Mailchimp and Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) are two of the most popular email marketing platforms in 2026. Mailchimp has 13 million+ users and is known for its templates, A/B testing, and e-commerce integrations. Brevo serves 500,000+ businesses with a radically different pricing model - unlimited contacts, pay only for emails sent. This comparison helps you decide between Mailchimp's polish and Brevo's value. For more options, see our best email marketing platforms guide.
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo | Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day |
| Entry paid | $13/mo (Essentials, 500 contacts) | $9/mo (Starter, 5,000 emails/mo) |
| Mid tier | $20/mo (Standard, 500 contacts) | $18/mo (Business, 5,000 emails/mo) |
| 10K contacts | $100/mo (Standard) | $18/mo (Business) |
| 50K contacts | $350/mo (Standard) | $18/mo (Business) |
| Pricing model | By contacts stored | By emails sent |
| SMS included | Add-on only | Built-in (pay per message) |
| WhatsApp campaigns | Not available | Built-in |
The pricing difference is dramatic for growing lists. A business with 10,000 contacts pays $100/month on Mailchimp Standard but only $18/month on Brevo Business. At 50,000 contacts, Mailchimp costs $350/month while Brevo remains $18/month (assuming you stay under 5,000 emails/month). Brevo's email-volume pricing model is a game-changer for businesses with large lists and moderate sending frequency.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Email templates | 100+ professional templates | 40+ templates |
| Drag-and-drop editor | Excellent | Good |
| Marketing automation | Advanced (Standard+) | Advanced (all paid plans) |
| A/B testing | Subject + content + send time | Subject + content |
| Landing pages | Built-in | Built-in |
| SMS marketing | Add-on | Built-in |
| WhatsApp campaigns | Not available | Built-in |
| CRM | Basic contact management | Full CRM included |
| Transactional email | Via Mandrill (add-on) | Built-in |
| Segmentation | Advanced | Advanced |
| E-commerce integrations | Shopify, WooCommerce, more | Shopify, WooCommerce |
Automation and Workflows
Mailchimp's Customer Journey Builder lets you create multi-step automations with branching logic, conditional waits, and A/B path testing. Pre-built journeys for welcome series, abandoned carts, and re-engagement make setup fast. Mailchimp's automation reporting shows revenue attributed to each journey, which is valuable for e-commerce businesses.
Brevo's automation builder is equally capable with visual workflow design, if/then branching, and trigger-based sequences. Where Brevo stands out is multichannel automation - a single workflow can combine email, SMS, and WhatsApp messages. Transactional emails (order confirmations, password resets) are built in at no extra cost, while Mailchimp requires the Mandrill add-on.
Mailchimp Pros and Cons
Pros
- Best email template design and editor
- Superior A/B testing (subject, content, time)
- Deep e-commerce integrations
- Revenue attribution reporting
- Large template and content library
- Strong brand recognition and trust
Cons
- Contact-based pricing gets expensive fast
- Automation locked behind Standard plan
- Transactional email requires Mandrill add-on
- No built-in SMS or WhatsApp
- Free plan severely limited (500 contacts)
- Support quality has declined
Brevo Pros and Cons
Pros
- Unlimited contacts on all plans
- 70-80% cheaper for large lists
- Built-in SMS + WhatsApp + CRM
- Transactional email included
- Multichannel automation workflows
- Free plan has unlimited contacts
Cons
- Fewer email templates (40 vs 100+)
- Email editor less polished than Mailchimp
- Smaller integration ecosystem
- Less advanced A/B testing
- E-commerce features less deep
- Brand less well-known
Need AI-powered email marketing?
LeadSpark helps businesses find the right marketing tools. Get personalized recommendations.
Get Free RecommendationsBest For Recommendations
Choose Mailchimp if: Best for E-commerce
- Email template design quality is a priority
- You need deep e-commerce revenue tracking
- A/B testing across subject, content, and send time matters
- Your contact list is under 5,000
- You value a mature, well-known platform
Choose Brevo if: Best Value
- You have a large contact list (10K+) and need affordable pricing
- Multichannel marketing (email + SMS + WhatsApp) matters
- You need transactional email without add-on costs
- You want a built-in CRM at no extra cost
- Budget is a primary consideration
Final Verdict
Brevo for value and multichannel, Mailchimp for design and e-commerce.
Brevo is the smarter financial choice for most businesses, especially those with growing contact lists. Unlimited contacts, built-in SMS/WhatsApp/CRM, and included transactional email deliver more value at 70-80% less cost. Mailchimp justifies its premium for e-commerce businesses that need beautiful templates, deep Shopify/WooCommerce integration, and revenue-attributed automation. For pure email marketing on a budget, Brevo wins. For design-first e-commerce marketing, Mailchimp wins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brevo better than Mailchimp?
Brevo is better for value, offering unlimited contacts and multichannel marketing at 70-80% less cost. Mailchimp is better for email template design and e-commerce integrations.
How much does Brevo cost vs Mailchimp?
For 10,000 contacts: Brevo Business costs $18/month, Mailchimp Standard costs $100/month. Brevo charges by emails sent; Mailchimp charges by contacts stored.
Is Brevo the same as Sendinblue?
Yes. Sendinblue rebranded to Brevo in May 2023. Same platform, same accounts, expanded capabilities beyond email.
Which has better email deliverability?
Both have strong deliverability when properly configured. Mailchimp has a slight historical edge. Dedicated IPs on higher tiers of both platforms further improve inbox placement.
Build AI-powered marketing agents
corteX SDK provides brain-inspired AI orchestration for autonomous email campaigns, audience segmentation, and marketing workflow automation.
Get Started - pip install cortex-ai